10,000 primary schools to get free Wi-Fi facility soon

TNN | Updated: Oct 24, 2016, 8:32 IST

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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As many as 10,000 lower and upper primary schools across the state will soon get free broadband internet connection. The IT@School project, in association with state-owned telecommunications company BSNL, is set to provide Wi-Fi-enabled connectivity of 2Mbps with unlimited data usage to government and aided schools this academic year. The initiative will officially start off on November 1. "This step would mark the beginning of improving IT infrastructure in primary section, as an extension of the High-Tech School programme through which classes from 8 to 12 are being upgraded with the aid of information and communication technology (ICT) tools," said education minister C Raveendranath. The IT@School project has been providing broadband internet connection to close to 5,000 schools and educational offices since 2007. "With the addition of broadband internet provision to primary section, the state's school internet network (with 100% coverage and over 15,000 connections) would become the largest of its kind in the country," said K Anvar Sadath, executive director of IT@School. The lower primary schools will get the new ICT textbook (for classes 1 to 4) titled 'Kalipetti' in November. ICT training for all primary teachers is all set to commence on Tuesday. Along with this, it was also planned to make available a comprehensive digital content collection exclusively developed for the primary section. The BSNL would complete the installation of broadband connections to 40% of the schools before end of December and the remaining by March 2017. The telecom company is also coming up with a unique web portal and call centre facility for addressing issues pertaining to internet connectivity provided to the schools.

Also, the BSNL would be providing broadband connectivity through special phone connections to those schools that do not have telephone connection at present. "The BSNL is keen to empower students through digital networks and we have embarked on the journey with the IT@School project in 2007. This time we are offering the lowest rate - Rs 5,000 per year including service tax," said R Mani, chief general manager, BSNL (Kerala circle). Also, the IT@School would implement an e-monitoring mechanism to ensure safe and secure use of internet provided to the schools and also to gauge its effectiveness at regular intervals.